Trails and Kisses
by ProfTweety
Summary: {This is part of the BAMsters fic prompt series.} Chapters: (1) Andy & Sharon decide to go hiking in Griffith Park & run into Brenda Leigh Johnson & her husband Fritz Howard (2) They're back at the condo, enjoying those massages & more (3) A necessary discussion in order to move forward in their relationship (4) Taking chances on being just the two of them. [Shandy] Now complete!
1. Brenda

_**Trails and Kisses**_

 **Disclaimer** : I do not own anything related to _Major Crimes_ ; James Duff, et al, has that lovely distinction.

 **A/N** : This is part of the _BAMsters fic prompt series_. Andy and Sharon decide to go hiking in Griffin Park and run into a former colleague, Brenda Leigh Johnson, and her husband Fritz Howard.

~~~~~PT~~~~~

Sharon woke up excited for her date with Andy that day. They were going hiking, though neither were avid hikers. Their date the previous night had ended with their usual fifteen minute kiss good-bye. When she thought about how hard it was getting to say good night, to tell him to go home, her body responded as if his lips were still on hers, his arms still holding her close to him, his hands carefully toying with the hem of her shirt yet daring not sneak beneath it, and her heart opening to him more and more.

Hearing the familiar knock, she opened the door to find him standing there in black jeans, a teal polo shirt, and white sneakers. He was smiling as he looked her up down in her black skinny jeans, kelly green shirt, and black sneakers. Her hair was clipped up haphazardly though he was sure she'd spent an inordinate amount of time getting it just to her liking. 'I'll find out eventually,' he decided.

"Hi," she greeted him with a soft kiss. "I've got everything ready for us." Taking his hand, she began leading him towards the kitchen. Going only three steps, she found herself pulled into his arms, kissing him deeply.

Moving back, he greeted her, "Hi," before kissing her passionately again. This time when she took his hand, he went with her. "We're only doing the short, easy trail, Sharon, so we don't need much."

"It's just the necessities, Andy. We need water to stay hydrated and trail mix to snack on so neither of us gets too hungry before we come back here for lunch." Grabbing the water bottles from the fridge, she placed them on the bottom of the small cooler she'd bought just for such an occasion. As she was placing the little baggies of snacks in, she felt one being quickly snatched from her hands. "Andy!"

"I didn't know we, uh, _you_ had trail mix," he mumbled around the snacks now in his mouth.

She couldn't help but smile at him. 'He's as bad as Ricky and Rusty,' she thought. "That's because if you knew about them, we wouldn't have any left for today."

"I'm not a hog," he mumbled as he smirked at her, "I would've left some."

Rolling her eyes at him, "I didn't say you would eat them all in one day. I bought them a week ago, so yes, they'd be gone by now." She kissed him quickly before the pout lasted too long. "And, before you start overthinking, _we_ is cute."

"Good cuz I was just about to ask about it," he pecked her lips as he reached for another baggie.

Quirking an eyebrow at him, "That's your last one until we are on the trail." A small snort laugh escaped at his groan and eye roll response. "Give me a minute and I'll be ready to go."

"Take your time," he said as he eyed the extra baggies she was saving for later.

"Those are yours for when we're home," she assured him, following his gaze.

" _Home_ is cute too," he mumbled with a smile, heading off her own overthinking.

~~~~~# # #~~~~~

They hit the trail enthusiastically until the sun began bearing down on them. Stops for water and kisses happened often though he managed to resist the call of the trail mix.

"If we keep kissing every time we take a drink of water, it'll take all day to finish this hike," she teased before covering his lips again.

"Do you mind? Cuz it doesn't seem like you do," he wondered before kissing her passionately.

"Hmm," she moaned, "not at all." They got lost in each other knowing they were off the trail itself in a little enclosure of trees providing much needed shade and privacy.

When they moved apart, he asked, "So can I get a massage when we get back?"

"I will give you a _great_ massage," she smirked, then asked, "Do I get one too?"

Smiling, "You really want me to?"

She licked her lips before whispering, "I really do." She barely had time to wet them again before he was kissing her soundly.

Further down the trail, Brenda and Fritz were debating the benefits of hiking.

"I can't believe you consider this quality time together, Fritzy," she complained. "Quality time is setting on the couch with a glass of wine while you have seltzer."

"Brenda, we're out in nature, it's a beautiful day and we're together so let's enjoy ourselves."

"I've only hiked to crime scenes many of which, I might add, happened right here in this very park."

"I know but this isn't work, it's for our health and for _us_." He kissed her. "I'd like for us to have a lot of years together, Brenda."

"Oh I want that too, Fritzy, I just don't know how that'll happen if you're trying to kill me with all this _healthy_ stuff."

He laughed and took her hand, leading her along the path.

As they hit the halfway marker on the trail, Andy pulled Sharon into another shade enclosure kissing her passionately while holding her tightly to him. His hands played with the hem of her shirt until he felt her wriggle causing him to move them into her hair, toying with the clip instead. He was just about to remove it when he felt her pull his shirt from his jeans and slip both her hands under it. As she played with the hairs on his chest or scraped her nails gently along his back, he left a trail of hot, wet kisses up and down her neck taking time to nip and suck leisurely until she pulled him back to her mouth. This time he slid his hands under her shirt, slowly moving along her sides, ghosting along her breasts then coming to rest on her hips. Without heels, she was much shorter than he was used to so he pulled her even closer as she tip-toed, her arms firmly around his neck. When they took a breather, he looked at her in such a way that her heart fluttered, reminding her of young love and reinforcing the chances she was now willing to take. Unbeknownst to her, the look on her face was doing the same to him. Not wanting to say something he'd regret, he pulled her back into another passionate kiss, hungrily saying with his tongue and lips what he couldn't yet with his voice.

Without kissing delays, Brenda and Fritz caught up to Sharon and Andy while they were lost to everything except each other.

"Oh, Fritzy, that looks like Lt Flynn," she exclaimed as she caught sight of the man gazing at his girlfriend. "Let's go say hi."

"He looks kinda busy, Brenda," he sighed, "let's just walk passed them."

"Oh, Lt Flynn was always busy with the ladies. He won't mind at all."

"It's not just any woman this time. What I've heard from the rumor mill, it hasn't been anybody in a long while until now. He was spending all his free time with her and finally asked her out."

"Well it looks like they're getting on pretty damn good, Fritzy. Every time I've seen Lt Flynn look at a woman, it's always been pure lust. That's -."

"He looks like a man in love so let's just pass by quietly. They won't even know we were here."

"But I never get to see my old team," she protested with a pout. "C'mon, Fritzy, what's it gonna hurt?"

"You mean aside from killing their mood?" he asked, exasperated. "This is their private time and I told you who he's dating. It's not like you need to satisfy your curiosity or anything."

"Oh no, there is absolutely _no_ way that woman is Captain Sharon Raydor."

"Why? Because she's dressed for a hike and making out with her boyfriend? It's her, Brenda, let's just go and leave them be."

"Oh, yoo hoo, Lt Flynn," she called out as they got closer. "Yoo hoo!"

"Oh for crying out loud, Brenda," he grumbled.

Pulling apart at hearing his name and rank, they still held on to each other as they looked at the woman rushing towards them.

"Chief Johnson, Chief Howard," Sharon greeted them first while Andy put aside his annoyance at the interruption.

"Chief Johnson, Fritz," he finally greeted them.

"Oh my," she gasped, clasping onto her husband's shirt while looking at him. "You were telling the truth!"

"Captain, Andy," he greeted them, "I'm sorry for the interruption. Brenda just couldn't resist stopping to say hello. It's been a long time since she's seen you both."

"Lt Flynn, it's _so_ good to see you," she gushed. "Captain Raydor, it's been a while for us too."

"Yes, it has, Chief," she acknowledged, knowing full well she was blushing at having been caught during such an intimate moment. "We're off-duty so why don't you call me Sharon?"

"If you will call me Brenda."

"Agreed so, Brenda, how have you been?"

"Oh it's been so busy lately. Fritzy keeps me up-to-date on the rumors over at PAB and he's so good at making sure I know the latest facts, you know, the _proven_ rumors." She looked at her former Lieutenant. "I just _really_ thought he was pulling my leg about you two."

"Brenda, for Heaven's sake," Fritz tried to intervene.

"Fritz, it's fine, a lot of people were surprised by Sharon actually dating _me_."

"I don't know why. It's not against the rules, we're friends and you _are_ a very good person."

"So y'all really are dating?!" she asked despite having observed so much of their make-out session.

"Yeah, we're really dating, Chief. Fritz wasn't just messing with you."

"But Captain, uh Sharon, you're so – and Lt Flynn, you're so – and you're," she stammered, reality finally setting in.

"Lovely use of the English language," her husband teased, "why don't we just finish our hike and leave them alone to finish theirs?"

"Oh for Heaven's sake, Fritzy, I'm not gonna bite them. Plus," she reached into the lunch bag, "I need a ding dong for this." Taking her first bite, she sighed, "Oh this is _so_ good. I can't believe you two are dating!"

"We've established that," her husband muttered.

"Oh there's a coupla benches. C'mon, let's set down and talk a spell." Not waiting for any of the others to agree, she sat down and moaned as she took another bite of her snack. "So catch me up, you two," she invited as they all sat down.

Sharon gave a brief synopsis of their relationship. "We had been spending a great deal of time together as friends the last two years and realized there was more to it than just friendship."

"I finally got up the nerve to ask her out after driving Provenza crazy with it for about a year, give or take."

"I hear this is all new for y'all. How's it going? What's it like at work nowadays? Tell me _everything_!"

"We are always professional at work, per the rules and regulations," Sharon clarified quickly.

"Oh right, forgot who I was talking to for a minute there, Captain. Well, that was quite a -."

"Surprise finding out you two are dating each other," Fritz finished for her, knowing she was intending to bring up the kiss they'd been commenting on moments before.

"Huh? Oh that's not -."

"Yes, it was," he patted her hand reassuringly; "it was exactly what you were going to say."

"Well, since we're all here and catching up, we might as well snack," Andy suggested, grabbing two waters and several baggies of trail mix out of the cooler. "Here you go," he said, handing one bottle to his now very-established girlfriend.

"Thank you," she smiled at him, holding his gaze a little longer than she wanted to once she remembered who had joined them.

"You're welcome," he grinned widely back at her.

"Oh y'all are so cute together," his former boss interrupted, "I'm _still_ a little surprised but not as much as some people might think. Isn't that right, Lt Flynn?"

"Uh, I'm not sure," he scratched the back of his neck. "Anybody want some trail mix?" he asked, handing Sharon one and holding out another to Brenda who shook her head _no_ and pointed to the chocolate treat she was holding.

"I'll take one if you don't mind," Fritz spoke up, holding his hand out. "Oh _real_ snacks, thank God," he exclaimed, popping some nuts and candy in his mouth. "This is so good, Andy," he mumbled while chewing.

Chuckling, he threw another baggie his way. "Enjoy, Sharon made enough to keep us going for the long trail."

"Y'all are hiking another trail after this?" Fanning herself, Brenda added, "Oh I'm lucky I'm doing this one."

"No, we are only hiking this trail but one never knows if they'll need more snacks for some reason or other," Sharon explained.

Once he had finished his two bags of snacks, Fritz rose pulling Brenda up with him. "Well, we should be on our way so we'll leave you two to enjoy your day off."

"Oh wait just one little second, Fritzy, Lt Flynn owes me five dollars," she said, sitting down again.

"I didn't take any of your damn ding dongs, Chief," he defended, sounding like the old Flynn. "Why do I owe you five bucks?"

"Remember that time you two had just gone at it?"

"There were several times that occurred, Brenda, so you will probably have to be more specific," Sharon chuckled.

"Oh that is true, now isn't it? The Captain was auditing the team and you two were constantly clashing but there was this one time where you were _really_ yelling at her and she just kind of smirked at you and walked away. I caught you looking at her legs. You remember that, Lt?"

"Oh yeah," then looking at his girlfriend, "What? You have really great legs and I'd look at them even if I was pis-, uh, even if I was mad at you."

"After I caught him doing it a few times, I bet him five dollars that he had a thing for ya."

"I took the bet cuz I thought it was stupid," he shrugged. "You were in FID. It was never gonna happen. Not to mention I just thought you were hot back then, I didn't know I'd like you as a person too."

"Well now you're dating her so pay up, Lt," his former boss held out her hand, opening and closing it in a _gimme_ motion.

Standing up, he took out his wallet, looked through his bills and pulled out a five. "Here, we're paid up," he grumbled as he handed it to her. "It was great seeing you, Chief, and you too, Fritz."

"Why thank you, Lt," she chuckled, "thank you _very_ much." Taking her husband's hand, "Well it was great seeing y'all and I do wish you both _a_ _lotta_ luck."

"Not that you'll need it," Fritz tried to clean it up a bit, "You both will be just fine. Say good-bye, Brenda. It was great seeing you both and I'll see you around work."

"Oh you two look so cute together and so _hot_. Oh my God, who knew you had it in you, Captain," she laughed, "well, good-bye, y'all, it was great seeing yous."

"It was a pleasure seeing you both as well," Sharon waved.

"Yeah, it was fun, take care," Andy waved them off.

Lifting her leg over the bench to sit fully facing him, Sharon teased, "So, you thought I was hot when I was running FID?"

Repeating her action, he shrugged a little, explaining, "Well you _are_ hot but I didn't like you back then."

"We didn't particularly like each other back then, I agree."

"But now we do so I don't care if the Chief let out my little secret," he grinned. "My girlfriend is hot," he teased, laughing at her blush changing from a light pink hue to a deep red quickly. "You know they saw us making out, right?" He laughed at her reaction, reaching for her before she sprang up in embarrassment. "C'mere, Sharon," he whispered, instantly holding her close as she went to him. "We care about each other." He kissed her temple. "We enjoy spending time together." He kissed his way down her neck, eliciting a low moan. "We really enjoy making out." He covered her mouth with his own, his tongue seeking entrance on contact. "We're all in so who cares who sees us, right?"

Nodding her head in agreement, "Yes, we're all in, Andy," she took a deep breath, "but you're still waiting -."

"And I'll keep waiting," he kissed the end of her nose, "until you're ready. For now, let's call this hike done, go back to your place and you can give me that massage you promised me."

She noticed he vacillated between calling it home and her place. They were still new at this, hadn't made love yet and were just at the beginning of enjoying second base.

Standing up, she took his hand, helping him up. "Yes, let's go back home for _our_ massages," she smirked. "And I'm even," she paused for effect, "going to bring you into my bed to ensure it's as good as I promised it would be." Leading him back toward the path, she heard him cough and clear his throat.

"You're gonna give me a massage in your bed?" he coughed. "Sharon, -."

"We aren't going to make love, Andy, not yet anyway," she clarified to calm him.

"So you're thinking about it?"

Turning to face him fully, she caressed his jaw, "Of course I think about us being together. I'm not ready for it right now but I will be," she gave him a lingering closed mouthed kiss. "Probably much sooner than you think," she added before kissing him deeply this time. "We just have to play the bases," she smirked as she led the way down the trail back towards his car.

"I am going to enjoy this massage," he told her happily, " _very_ much."

"I fully intend to enjoy mine as well."

[ _The End_ ]


	2. Massages

_**Trails and Kisses, Ch 2**_

 **Disclaimer** : I do not own anything related to _Major Crimes_ ; James Duff, et al, has that lovely distinction.

 **A/N** : So Musey wanted to follow up on those massages and then GG had to go and play that song so here goes Sharon and Andy after the hike. _Enjoy_! Leave a review if y'all feel so inclined; they are ever so lovely to read. _**#TodayIsLife**_

~~~~~PT~~~~~

When Sharon and Andy stepped into the condo they were still enjoying the after effects of their more intimate moments during their hike. They had the house to themselves with Rusty hanging out all day with friends most likely late into the night.

Having moved to second base with Sharon for the first time that day on the trail, Andy didn't want that feeling to end. Pulling her to him, he kissed her passionately, his hands sliding easily under her shirt. He let them glide higher when he felt her scrape her nails along his back then slip under his shirt to repeat her actions. Moving her against the door, his thumbs grazed over her nipples, before he began kneading her breasts, kissing a trail along her neck in the hopes of continuing down even further. Moving apart, she took his hand and led him towards her bedroom.

As they were walking down the hall, Andy's nerves began to set in. "We're just going in here for our massages, nothing else, right?"

Pulling him into a hug, "Yes, that's all we are going to do. Are you all right with that?"

Breathing out a sigh of relief, "Yeah, I'm good with that."

"We will be on top of the covers the whole time," she assured him as she opened the door and went inside.

"Well, that's not really -, uh, never mind," he muttered as she smirked.

"Are you ready to go first?" she asked just before covering his lips with her own for a deep kiss. She had his shirt halfway up, with the intention of removing it, before he stopped her. "It's okay, Andy, it's easier without clothes in the way." Realizing what she implied, she blushed and quickly corrected her statement. "I'm just taking your shirt off, if that's all right with you."

"Uh, yeah it is, it's just -," he mumbled.

"I know about your scars. We all have them. It's all right." She kissed him again and he pulled his shirt over his head.

"Do I look okay?" he asked nervously, glancing at his stomach. "It's not exactly a six-pack."

Running her fingers through his chest hair, down over his stomach and back up, she smiled at him. "I like who you are _and_ how you look. I care about you, Andy, do you really think I'm so shallow that I'll no longer have feelings for you because you aren't perfect? Neither am I, as you will see." The blush returned on her last sentence and she moved in to hug him.

"I don't think you're shallow," he whispered, before kissing her gently.

"Take off your sneakers and socks and lie down."

Doing as she asked, he wondered why his socks needed to be removed but decided against asking for her reason. He figured he'd find out soon enough. Lying on her bed, she started to massage his foot. Moaning, he relaxed more onto her pillows. As she applied pressure to all the right places, he thought of how much he wanted to touch her. He'd have to be careful during the massage not to get too carried away. He couldn't help but smile as she moved to his other foot. He'd apparently day dreamed longer than he'd realized. Watching her, he observed the small smile, the ease with which she moved her hands over his foot and he began imagining her hands moving over him in other places.

"Andy?" Getting no response, she tried again. "Andy?"

"Huh? Yeah, uh, that was great. You almost made me fall asleep."

"Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed it. Please turn over so I can get to your back."

Flipping over, he settled in for what he hoped would be a relaxing experience. Feeling her move, he flexed his shoulders then turned to look at her when he felt her hands on his calf. "Sharon?"

"Yes? You know this would be easier without jeans."

Shaking his head, "Uh no, not happening."

Shrugging, "Okay, I can work with them." She began to knead the muscles in his calf, smiling innocently at him until he finally resettled himself on her pillow. As she moved along, he wondered why she hadn't switched to the other side until he felt her kneading his thigh muscles. He picked a focal point and stared at it as her hands gently smoothed out wrinkles in his jeans then went to work on his now-tightened muscles. He couldn't hold the moan in as her fingers grazed his private area when she reached the top of his thigh. Climbing over him, she repeated her actions on the other calf and thigh, making sure to accidentally touch him again to hear that groan once more. "Are you all right?"

"I'm great," he said into her pillow.

Chuckling, "I'm moving up now."

"Okay."

Settling herself over his thighs, she began to massage his butt muscles, snort laughing as he pulled away from her. "Would you prefer I skip this?"

"No, I don't want to limit you to certain parts."

She was able to hear that groan she liked so much a few more times. Resettling herself higher up, she finally reached his back. Now when he moaned it was solely from her ministrations. He moaned often or breathed out, "That's good, Sharon," bringing a slight blush along with a satisfied smile.

Lying down next to him, she relaxed more as she realized she wasn't _that_ out of practice. He smiled and pulled her closer to him. Whispering, "That was great," he kissed her passionately while rolling on top of her. He was surprised when she moved her legs so he could settle himself between them. "Are you taking your jeans off?" he asked with a smirk.

"You didn't," she replied with a quirk of an eyebrow.

Pulling her up to a sitting position with him, he reminded her, "I did take my shirt off," as he began to remove hers.

"But you don't have -," she began to protest but her body had other ideas and she began kissing him as soon as her tee was off. Finding herself being lowered back onto the mattress, she deepened the kiss, pushing her breasts into his chest. Accepting her invitation, he palmed them then instructed, "Turn over."

Having done what he asked, he undid her bra, slipping it over her arms as she helped him. "It'll just get in the way," he explained. Starting at her shoulders, he kneaded his way down and back up, using his elbow for deeper relief of the tighter muscles. When she felt completely relaxed, he started up at the top of her spine using his tongue to slowly massage each of her vertebrae. The moans she let loose as his tongue and hands worked their magic separately were enough to embolden him to try for more. Licking his way up her spine, he lowered himself onto her, kissing her shoulders and her neck while massaging her breasts. When she turned to look at him, he captured her lips with reckless abandon, momentarily forgetting they were taking things slow. As she began to turn over, he almost stopped to ask if she was sure but his body just made room for her to maneuver and make herself comfortable under him.

Her nails scratching down his back, breasts pushing up into his chest, tongue dancing with his and breathing changing with each way he touched her had him completely forgetting they were going slow. Nipping, licking and sucking his way from her neck to her breasts, he had no thoughts in his mind but one. As he licked and sucked each nipple, mouthed each breast, and ground into her, that thought became stronger. Moving back to her, he whispered, "I want to taste you," before plunging his tongue into her open mouth, swallowing any initial protests she might've given.

When he began moving down her, she stopped him with a nervous, "Andy," and a tighter grip on his arms. Glancing at her, he saw a look she'd never directed at him before and knew he needed to calm her. Between kisses, he assured her he wouldn't hurt her, that she'd like what he was doing and they'd still stop. He knew they had to stop.

"What's wrong, Sharon?"

Shaking her head, "It's okay, Andy, you don't have to."

"I offered," he said with confusion, "you didn't ask me to and believe me if you had asked, I wouldn't refuse." Kissing her slowly, languidly, he whispered again, "I want to taste you, Sharon, we'll still stop." Grinding into her more, barely able to speak with any amount of volume, he added, "You don't have to reciprocate. This is all just for us to enjoy."

Shaking her head again, she averted her eyes and whispered, "It's okay, Andy, it'll take too long and there's nothing in it for you."

Wondering what made her think that way, he held her close and chose his words carefully. "First off, I was planning on spending at least half an hour enjoying myself but if you need an hour, hey I'm not gonna say no and second, I'd be enjoying myself by making sure you got pleasure out of what I was doing for us." Against her ear, he breathed, "I wanna taste you so bad, Sharon," before moving to kiss her. "I'll take my jeans off too so we're even," he promised in a low rumble, "and my boxers if you want."

She wanted what he offered but the past sometimes came back to haunt her; old memories flooded before her and her eyes misted over as he held her close to him. It wasn't fair to Andy, she knew, but her marriage to Jack had left her with invisible scars and memories that were at times hard to shake. "What if we just touched each other for now?" she offered as a compromise, trying to keep herself in the present and keep them dating the old fashioned way.

Kissing her with a renewed passion, he agreed and slowly nipped and licked his way down her neck, breasts and stomach before undoing her jeans and helping her slip them off. Moving over, he removed his own jeans as she looked at him shyly. "Should I take off my boxers too?"

Pushing her past aside, she bit her bottom lip and shook her head _yes_ as she removed her underwear. "We'll stop though? Andy, I -," she didn't finish her thought because she was fighting her emotions and logic was losing this battle. They were adults, naked in her bed, and she was _still_ making sure they'd stop before they made love because she wasn't ready; not when the past was still making appearances.

"Don't worry, Sharon, we'll stop." Pulling her to him, he let his hands move over her body as he kissed her more passionately than ever before. When he ghosted her core, he heard the desire-filled moan she couldn't hold in and let loose one himself when her fingers wrapped around him causing him to lose control and plunge a finger inside her. His thumb moved to her nub bringing her over the edge so fast he couldn't imagine why she was afraid tasting her would take too long.

As she came down from her high, she decided to go with the only thing she knew would make him happy since she wasn't ready to make love with him just yet. Kissing him deeply, she then began to kiss a trail down his neck, licked and sucked his nipples continuing down his stomach until she reached her destination. As her tongue moved along him, she felt him tremble and whisper, "Sharon," just before she took him passed her lips. She knew to ensure she fully engulfed him in her mouth so she did, smiling around him as she heard his reaction. Sucking and moving slowly up and down, she relaxed more and more as his moans increased and he repeatedly whispered her name. As she brought him closer to the end, she felt him try to move her away but she shook her finger at him and kept on. "Oh God, Sharon," slipped out as she brought him over the edge. Kissing her way back up him, she felt him trying to regulate his breathing while he whispered, "Oh my God, Sharon, that was so good. You're amazing." Smiling, she moved to kiss him and was surprised when he kissed her deeply while rolling them over, repeating his previous wish, "I want to taste you so bad," then enjoyed every part of her body before placing his tongue on her nub.

Her past was front and center again and she stiffened up, causing him to stop to reassure her that he wanted to do this for himself as well as for her. Telling her that he would get just as much, if not more, pleasure out of it, he went back to licking, kissing and sucking her nub and entrance until once again she fell over the cliff whispering, "Andy," in such a way he'd thought she could bring him right along with her.

Licking his way back up, he covered her lips with his own in an even more passionate kiss than he'd thought possible. Rolling over onto his back, he kept her close to him, continuing to kiss leisurely, enjoying this newfound closeness they'd just experienced.

"You _are_ amazing, Sharon," he rumbled when she laid her head on his chest, "in every way a guy could want."

"Andy, -," she stopped herself. It was her past, not Andy, which would have her continue. " _You_ are amazing too," she settled on, closing her eyes and just enjoying being with him.

"As far as I'm concerned, Sharon, we just made love," he tried to reassure her. "I -," he took a deep breath, "I care so much about you, I just want you to feel it."

"Oh I do, Andy, and I hope you can feel how much I care," she answered without moving. 'He probably won't understand that I'm happy with him yet I can still think of Jack,' she told herself.

He wanted to hear her say more but he left it alone. A picture of how Jack must've treated her when it came to his needs was beginning to form and he wasn't happy with what his mind had conjured.

"I felt it, Sharon," he rasped, just before pulling her into another long kiss.

[The End]


	3. Discussion

_**Trails and Kisses, Ch 3**_

 **Disclaimer** : I own nothing related to _Major Crimes_ ; James Duff, et al, has that lovely distinction.

 **A/N** : When Andy thinks he pushed Sharon too far and she insists he didn't, he wants to know what happened in her past that affects her to this day. _Enjoy_! Leave a review if y'all feel so inclined; they are ever so enjoyable to read. **#TodayIsLife**

~~~~~PT~~~~~

He had teasingly suggested they nap and was surprised when she snuggled into him and closed her eyes. Kissing the top of her head, he closed his also and settled himself, holding her close. When he woke up not long after, he noticed he was alone. Grabbing his clothes, he saw her hair clip on her bedside table. He dressed quickly, leaving off his socks and sneakers, and made his way quietly down the hall. Not seeing her on the balcony, her favorite place to think, he peered into the kitchen. She was leaning on the counter, looking lost in thought, apparently waiting for the coffee to brew.

Scratching the back of his neck, he made his presence known. "Hi," giving her a weak smile.

Standing up straighter, she returned the soft greeting, "Hi," with a small smile of her own.

"I pushed you too far, didn't I?" He moved further into the kitchen. "I didn't mean to do that, Sharon, and I'm sorry if you felt pressured. I told you I'd wait for you to be ready. I just wanted -."

She cut him off. "Andy, you didn't push me or pressure me. I know you're being patient and I appreciate that very much. You have no idea how much that means to me." Trying to reassure him didn't seem to be working out as easily as she'd thought it would. He was a worrier and he had a look on his face that told her he was taking all the blame for the bases they'd played in her bedroom. "We both wanted what happened and," she took a deep breath, "we both enjoyed what we did." She meant it but the intake of air in the middle of her statement didn't convince him she was telling the full truth.

His face showed his doubt and the early signs of guilt. "Sharon, you didn't want to -."

She cut him off again. "I did, Andy, I wanted what we did." Thinking fast, perhaps too fast, she tried to explain. "It had nothing to do with you, honestly." Seeing the shadow cross his features, she thought, 'Great way to avoid bringing up Jack.' "Andy, I -."

This time he cut her off; not in anger but rather confusion. "What do you mean it had nothing to do with me? There were only two of us in that bed." Then he thought about it and it made more sense. "There were three of us, weren't there?" Rubbing his face, he sighed. "Jack was there too, in your head, wasn't he?" He tried to hide the hurt he felt; not for him but for her, that she had gone through so much pain in her marriage she seemed unable to actually enjoy their relationship to the fullest. He realized Jack was the reason she wasn't ready yet.

Her eyes took on a slight sheen. "No, not the entire time, Andy, but for some of it, yes. I'm sorry, it's just sometimes memories come back and I can't control that. I try, I do, but they just show up. I don't want us to make love until it's just the two of us. That's why I'm not ready, as unfair to you as that is."

"What happened to you?" he asked, putting his arms around her. "I know it's personal and you're very private, Sharon, but what the hell happened to you that you can't even enjoy being made to feel good?" Kissing her temple, he softly added, "I want you to just let go and feel comfortable with me. I want you to like what we're doing for each other."

Moving back, needing the distance, she tried to explain, to ease both of their discomfort. "I know that, Andy, and I believe you." Looking directly in his eyes, she emphasized, "I believe you. This," pointing between them, "that," gesturing towards her bedroom, "I'm just not ready to talk about it yet." She sighed deeply. "I know it's just another thing I'm not ready to do with you."

The coffeemaker had beeped while they were talking so he grabbed two mugs and began getting their beverages ready. "It's okay, let's just let it go for now and have some coffee."

She nodded in agreement, all the while trying to silence her memories and figure out a way to explain them without sacrificing the privacy she held so dear. Then she realized it was pride too; some things she was just too proud to admit to him. 'I should've just made love with him. I wanted to,' she thought, 'but then that wouldn't be fair to him either.' Shaking her head, she sighed.

If he heard her, he acted as if he didn't and continued preparing their coffees. Grabbing both mugs, he suggested, "How about we drink these on your balcony?"

Nodding, she agreed and turned towards the living room. Opening the door, she gestured for him to go through first and she followed behind. They sat on her love seat, on opposite ends, avoiding eye contact until she spoke up. "I wanted to be with you, Andy."

"I just feel like I pushed too hard. It just felt so damn good being in there with you and I didn't want to stop at kissing. I pushed you into going further."

"No, you didn't. I wanted to," she hesitated to collect her thoughts, "I wanted to be with you. I like what you did for me and I know men very much enjoy what I did for you."

"But you didn't have to, Sharon, I wasn't looking for that. Don't get me wrong, you are amazing but I wasn't looking for that. I just wanted to make you feel good. I wanted you to know that I'm not selfish about stuff like that." Using _selfish_ maybe wasn't the best word given the circumstances but he truly wanted her to know that he wasn't a typical guy in bed. Subconsciously he suspected Jack was and he wanted her to know that she was getting the exact opposite of what she was used to in her past.

"I know you aren't selfish," she whispered.

When she looked at him, he saw more than a slight sheen this time and he ached to hold her. "C'mere," he rasped, his voice thick with emotion. He closed his eyes and held onto her tightly as soon as she had moved into his arms. "I didn't mean to hurt you, I'm sorry."

"You didn't. If anything, I hurt you," she corrected. "I didn't mean to. I had no intention of messing up what we did or what we have."

"You didn't mess anything up, you hear me," he tried to assure her.

"It feels like I did," she said, barely above a whisper.

"Well you didn't so please stop thinking you did."

They held on to each other tightly until he began soothing her by gently running one hand up and down her back and the fingers of his other through her hair, massaging her scalp. Moving slowly, she looked at him then began kissing him, letting the passion build quickly. Straddling him now, she knew she was trying to seduce him, trying to change the direction in which they were moving. Though logically he knew what she was doing, physically his body responded the way she hoped it would. His hands moved over her, touching everywhere with a freedom he'd yet to experience.

When she husked, "I want you," and ground against him, he pulled away just barely. It was enough to be able to look at her. What she saw in his eyes brought her back to reality and her own eyes teared up once more. "Jack was right," she said sadly as she got off his lap and moved to the railing.

"What was he right about?" He needed to know how she thought or he wouldn't be able to follow, wouldn't be able to understand the lasting damage her ex-husband had caused.

Folding her arms across her chest, she swallowed hard and looked away. "I'm difficult, Andy."

He caught her wiping a tear, started to stand then changed his mind. She was letting him in and that's what he wanted, what they needed. He decided remaining silent was his best option at that point. She needed to work things out for herself.

When she didn't say anything more, he huffed while saying, "So you're difficult, it's not like I didn't know that already."

Giving him a sad smile, she shook her head. "I don't mean as in Captain of FID difficult. I mean it's difficult to be in a relationship with me."

"Says Jack," he practically growled, not fully hearing what it sounded like until her eyes flew open wider.

"There's a reason I've been alone." She began hurriedly walking back inside.

"What? Wait!" he quickly got up and went after her. "What the hell's going on here, Sharon? What are you saying to me?" He knew the answer but he wasn't about to let her run.

"I shouldn't have agreed to go out with you in the first place. I knew better, Andy, but I," she wiped a tear away with annoyance, "I care about you and I want to be with you but I should've said _no_ when you asked me."

"What the hell kind of crap is that? That makes no sense."

"Why put us through any of what I know is coming? Do you think I'm doing this for me? It's for _you_ , Andy, so you don't end up the way I know you will if I let you stay."

His chest hurt, it was hard to breathe, his heart was pounding, and he was starting to sweat. He'd never had a panic attack before but he was pretty damn sure this was what the beginning of one felt like. He bent over, leaning his hands on his knees before speaking. "I've been taking care of myself for a very long time now, Sharon, I don't need you for that." Seeing her eyes flash at him, he kept going. Pissed was better than scared any day as far as he was concerned. "We gotta take care of each other, protect each other, but not _from_ one another, not from what you _think_ might happen because Jack is an asshole."

"I am protecting you! Why do you think I've been alone?"

"Because you were married to an idiot who didn't know you actually had to live together to have a shot at a good marriage." He stood up straight. "That guy did such a freaking number on you that you think breaking up with me is the answer to your fears." He could breathe fully again and he was getting angrier. "He pulled one damn self-esteem-crushing bull-shit thing on you after the other and now you think he was right. Well, he _wasn't_!"

"I don't want you to find out," she said, her voice low; anger, sadness and resignation all mixed into one hard look, one low volume of speech.

"Well maybe you should've tried to spare me _before_ I fell in love with you," he spat out, then realized what he'd let slip. He knew from her expression that she heard him loud and clear. 'Too late to take it back,' he told himself. Rubbing his hands over his face, he began taking even breaths to control his temper and his emotions. The sting in his eyes reminded him he wasn't made of steel. "Yeah, that's right, Sharon, I'm in love with you. I have been since before I asked you out." He turned around towards the balcony. He needed his coffee, needed to taste the bitterness flow across his taste buds and down his throat.

She stayed rooted to her spot, watching him, replaying his words in her head. When he came back in with both mugs, she instantly grabbed her's, drinking down half of it so quickly she didn't even taste it.

"You're not saving me from anything, Sharon. I don't need to be saved from _you_." His voice was softer, quieter now. He had her attention and that's what his aim had been. "I want you in my life. I want to be with you. Damnit, I love you."

"Andy, I was just trying -," she didn't finish her sentence. Her thoughts were jumbled. 'What _are_ you trying to do?' she asked herself. "Jack always said I was the reason he drank. I don't want that for you. I don't want to be the reason you relapse."

" _I'm_ responsible for my own sobriety. Damnit, Sharon, you know better than to believe him placing the blame on you." He sighed, "Drinking isn't the only thing that's on your mind, is it? He was selfish when it came to sex, wasn't he? I know that's your own personal business and you don't have to answer me but I'm getting the feeling that he was. It seems like he didn't worry too much about _your_ needs as long as _his_ were taken care of. Am I right?"

"I wanted to please my husband and I did receive my own pleasure from doing that," she defended.

"I get that but I'm letting you know in advance that my pleasure doesn't trump yours. Just so we're straight on that."

Her eyes clouded over. "That will be refreshing." She didn't want to truly discuss her sex life but felt there needed to be some form of acknowledgment.

He saw in her eyes how hard that much of an admission was for her to make. Deciding to leave it alone for her sake, he focused on himself. "Look, I'm an alcoholic like Jack and I can be a hot-head sometimes but that's where the similarities end. I'm sober; I'm not out running around with anyone. Hell, I wasn't even doing that when we were just friends. You had my time and my attention, Sharon. You have my love. I don't know what else I can say. It's your move." He drank the remainder of his coffee down in one gulp and started walking towards the kitchen. Stopping, he asked, "Are you finished with yours? Cuz I'll bring both of them out if you are."

Handing him her mug, she quietly thanked him. "You're right, Andy, that is where the similarities end."

"So what are you gonna do about it?" he asked as he washed out the mugs, intending to make more coffee for them.

She was certain he was planning to leave so when she saw him wash out the glass pot then hit the button to start the brewing process again, she began to slowly walk towards the kitchen. "I am going to apologize for messing up and for hurting you because I _did_ and that wasn't my intention." Once she reached the end of the counter, she leaned against it. "I am going to make it abundantly clear that I don't think you are _anything_ like Jack. I was trying to _protect_ you and your sobriety from _me_. I wasn't trying to imply that you're just like him." Moving closer to him, she slid her fingers on the granite countertop. "I am going to repeat myself when I tell you that I enjoyed what we did, how we made each other feel." She put one hand on his chest, the other cupped his jaw. "I want you to understand something, Andy. I tried to protect you _because_ I love you not for any other reason."

"You don't have to say that, Sharon."

"I am very well aware that I don't have to but I want you to know how I _feel_. It didn't happen before we started dating but I realized it one day and I knew then that it had to be just the two of us before we went too far."

"I'm still gonna wait, Sharon, until you're ready."

"This all helped me figure things out, Andy. I love you," she whispered before kissing him deeply. Before their desires got the better of them, she asked, "Are you ready to eat lunch?"

"Yeah, I'm starving actually."

"So am I and then I'd _really_ like to take a nap with you."

"Sure," he agreed, pulling her back to him. "Gimme a kiss before I grab more of that trail mix you got stashed somewhere around here."

"One kiss and then I'm making us lunch."

"You got yourself a deal," he smiled before covering her lips with his own. This time they let themselves go freely. All the emotions from their recent discussion bubbled up to the surface and they found themselves lost in each other.

[TBC]

 **A/N2** : Since this fic isn't connected to any of my others, there is a different kind of ending to this one. _Enjoy_!


	4. Just Us

_**Trails and Kisses, Ch 4**_

 **Disclaimer** : I own nothing related to _Major Crimes_ ; James Duff, et al, has that lovely distinction.

 **A/N** : Sometimes all it takes is honesty, acceptance and understanding for a couple to be the only ones in their relationship. _Enjoy_! Leave a review if y'all feel so inclined; they are ever so enjoyable to read. **#TodayIsLife**

 **A/N2** : Seriously _much_ thanks to _**D, M & GG**_ for the musical inspiration for this chapter!

~~~~~PT~~~~~

 _This time they let themselves go freely. All the emotions from their recent discussion bubbled up to the surface and they found themselves lost in each other._

When they moved apart, Andy ran his fingers down the side of her face. Tracing her bottom lip with his thumb, he followed up with his tongue before sucking it into his mouth. Releasing it, his tongue traced her top lip. He could tell she wanted to kiss him again but instead he moved over to her neck; slowly nipping, sucking and licking his way down, stopping only to draw her lip into his mouth briefly then make his way slowly back up her neck. By the time he was licking the shell of her ear and breathing, "You're so hot," into it, her hands were beneath his shirt.

As her fingers skimmed his skin, he made his way over to the other side of her neck, stopping to kiss the edge of her mouth. As he left a trail of wet kisses down and back up her neck, he felt her breathing change yet again and her nails gently scrape down his back giving him goose pimples. Breathing, "You're beautiful," into her ear, he let his fingers trail lightly along her neck and continue down to her breast. As his thumb circled her nipple through her clothes, he gave her open mouthed kisses but withheld his tongue and moved back a pace when she offered hers.

As frustrated as he was making her, she liked the foreplay immensely and felt the excitement flow throughout her body, shooting through her core. Just when she thought he couldn't make her want him anymore, he cupped her derrière pushing her flush against him while whispering, "You deserve to feel good," before helping her onto the countertop and running his hands up her thighs that were now on either side of him.

When she captured his mouth unexpectedly and thrust her tongue passed his lips, his hands moved to cup her breasts. Quickly dipping his head away from her, he pulled her bra and tee back enough for him to lick the nipple on one side then the other before rumbling, "You deserve to be happy in love."

Without her even realizing it, her legs wrapped around his waist as she quietly assured him, "So do you," then asked, "Are you still hungry?" as she moved her hands behind his neck.

His answer came quickly, "No, are you?"

"Not anymore," she breathed out as he moved his bulge against her core, sending shockwaves through her once again. "I'd _really_ like to take that nap with you now," she teased before kissing him deeply; enjoying the groan he let loose.

Moving back, he helped her off the counter and they held hands as they walked down the hall to her bedroom.

Once inside with the door locked, she reached behind his neck, drawing him down to her and began a passionate kiss that made him wonder if they had truly gone in there for just a _nap_. When she started pushing his shirt up, he decided to go with the flow and helped her remove it.

Deciding turnabout was fair play, he smiled as he inched her tee up until she finally just took it off herself. "Ooh, _someone_ is in a hurry to take a nap."

She just hummed before she licked his nipple and playfully nipped it, planning to do the same to the other when she felt his hands move to open her jeans. Stepping out of them, she found him already opening his belt buckle. Looking up, she gave him a smirk. "It seems _someone_ is in a hurry to join me."

Dropping his jeans, he gave her his lopsided grin. "We didn't have any clothes on for our last nap and you seem _very_ tired. I'm only doing this for _you_."

Quirking her eyebrow at him, she felt her lips curving up at the corners. " _You're_ not tired?"

He sighed dramatically as he reached behind her to unclasp her bra. "I'm exhausted." Quickly dropping his boxers, he turned to bring down the covers as she removed her panties.

"We only need the sheet for now," she said as she grabbed it and pulled it over them. Then turning to him, she kissed him slowly yet deeply, enjoying how gentle he was with her.

He let his fingers travel down her body, everywhere he could reach with the exception of her core. Wherever this led, they weren't in a hurry.

She was doing the same to him, trying to take it slow but she wanted his fingers on her core so she moved her leg over his and pulled him closer into her. She moaned when she felt him move it back and his fingers ghost exactly where she wanted them to be.

He twitched at her moan but kept telling himself they were waiting. In the meantime, there could be no denying what she wanted. Moving her onto her back, he touched her nub to gauge her need. He smiled into their kiss as her legs fell open and she moved into his hand. Slipping a finger inside, he groaned at how ready she was for him. 'If that happens,' he reminded himself. As his finger glided in and out of her, his thumb on her nub, he heard her breathing become irregular and stopped kissing her. "I wanna watch you," he rumbled as she began to go over the edge.

His smile reappeared as she whispered, "Andy," then kissed him harder and deeper than ever before as she rolled with the waves. "I like to kiss at the height of it," she admitted a bit shyly.

"Then we always will," he promised as he rolled on top of her. They spent time lazily kissing and slowly exploring each other. When he thought enough time had passed for her to be able to handle another wave, he whispered, "I want to taste you, Sharon."

Her shy smile coupled with, "I'd like that very much, Andy," had him twitching as he kissed his way down to her core, stopping often along the way as if on a scenic route of her body.

As his tongue flicked her nub, it hit him that she hadn't tensed up once. He reached for her hand and held it in his over her stomach as he thoroughly enjoyed himself, knowing she was so relaxed.

As she surfed the waves again, she breathed out, "Andy," repeatedly until her body settled back down from her high.

Kissing and licking his way back up her body, he pecked her softly on the lips before asking, "Do you like your own taste?" When she seemed confused, he added, " _I_ think you're delicious but _you_ might not want me to kiss you the way I _really_ want to right now."

Her heart sped up and she couldn't help but think how lucky she was to have let this man into her life. Rasping, "I love you, Andy," she kissed him with all the passion she held inside.

As he settled himself back on top of her, he broke the kiss long enough to rumble, "I love you too, Sharon." When they moved apart, lips barely touching, he felt himself twitching against her core. He nervously asked, "Do you want me to move a little?"

"No, it's just us, Andy." She wrapped her legs around him in invitation in case he didn't fully understand the meaning of her words.

"We don't have to, Sharon, we can still wait," he assured her. "I want you but I have no problem waiting for you."

"I want to be with you, Andy." She thought he'd kiss her with hot intensity; instead he kept it slow yet deep and passionate. So lost in him, so filled with desire and need, she hadn't realized he had slowly moved into position to join her in the most intimate way a couple can possibly give themselves to one another.

It was only as he murmured, "I'm so glad I didn't lose you," that she felt him slowly, carefully begin to join her in marking yet another milestone in their relationship.

She moved with him, making their union easier on them both. "I'm glad you didn't let me run," was whispered as they synchronized their rhythm, starting slow and steady despite the desire and passion they brought to their lovemaking.

As he slowly built up more speed, she found herself hovering at the edge of the cliff yet again. His words of love and commitment, emotionally whispered in her ear brought her own emotions to the surface.

He murmured, "I'm yours," and sped up the pace a little more bringing her over the edge, the waves cresting higher and crashing harder throughout her body than the previous two times combined.

As she breathlessly whimpered, "Andy," she managed, "I'm yours," in a slightly stronger voice.

Having lost track of time, he was quietly fighting to hold off his own crescendo; not wanting their first experience of complete intimacy to end, dreading the loss of her touch and whispered words, and fearing she'd change her mind and run anyway.

Sensing his internal struggle, she whispered, "It's okay, I'm not going anywhere," just before she kissed him passionately and sped up her movements.

He matched her rhythm and soon he was flying over the cliff, moaning "Sharon," and kissing her so hard he'd thought he hurt her once he realized what he was doing. Once assured he hadn't, he whispered, "I love you," and rolled them over, keeping her in a tight embrace while he settled his breathing and heart rate.

"I love you too," was whispered along with an invitation. "This doesn't have to be the only time we make love today. You could stay if you'd like." Not wanting to seem needy, she rushed to add, "This isn't a topic we've discussed yet so if that's not something you're interested in doing, I'll understand."

"I wanna go to work from here on Monday so don't think I have issues spending the night," he was quick to reassure her. "It's Saturday afternoon, you think you can put up with me an entire weekend?" To sweeten the pot, he teasingly added, "I'm _very_ helpful and _warm_."

She snort laughed on the offer of warmth but became serious in her answer. "Do you think _you_ can?"

"No question I can," he answered without hesitation. "You gotta break the news to Rusty though and I'll hide in here."

"You are _not_ hiding and I already spoke to him about you eventually staying over. He's fine with it now. You've proven you're one of the _good_ ones."

"I'm glad and now, how about that nap? Oh and I need some clothes. I'll grab them while you're making dinner or I can pick up dinner on my way back from that place we all like."

"Hmm, you already know my favorite dish. I can take a bubble bath while you're doing that."

"Damn, I'm missing the good stuff. Just means one thing, I'm gonna have to leave some clothes here." He teasingly tested the limits.

A hum and a nod were his response, "Maybe you would like to join me in those bubbles next time."

He smirked. "No _maybe_ about it, I _definitely_ want to join you. For now, let's go to sleep for a little while. You wore me out."

Chuckling, "We're even then because I need to rest also."

[ **The End** ]


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